The Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972 aims to protect wildlife in India and conserve habitats. It establishes authorities like the Director of Wildlife Preservation and prohibits hunting of protected animals. The Act also declares certain areas as sanctuaries and national parks and regulates trade in endangered species and their parts.

1. WILDLIFE
(PROTECTION) ACT,
1972
Presented by
ABHISEK MAHALIK
120MN0550
SURFACE MINE
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

2. An Act to provide for the protection of wild animals, birds and plants and for
matters connected therewith or ancillary or incidental thereto with a view to
ensuring the ecological and environmental security of the country.

3. Preliminary
This act is an Act of Parliament of India enacted on 9th
September,1972.
It extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and
Kashmir.
It has six schedules which give varying degrees of protection.
https://business.esa.int/funding/invitation-to-tender/wildlife-protection

4. Definitions
“animal” includes amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles and their young, and also includes,
in the cases of birds and reptiles, their eggs
“animal article” means an article made from any captive animal or wild animal, other than
vermin, and includes an article or object in which the whole or any part of such animal.
“circus” means an establishment, whether stationary or mobile, where animals are kept or used
wholly or mainly for the purpose of performing tricks or manoeuvres
“Collector” means the chief officer in charge of the revenue administration of a district or any
other officer not below the rank of a Deputy Collector as may be appointed by the State
Government
“habitat” includes land, water or vegetation which is the natural home of any wild animal
“Hunting” includes capturing, killing , poisoning, trapping, injuring animals , birds or reptiles.
“land” includes canals, creeks and other water channels, reservoirs, rivers, streams and lakes,
whether artificial or natural.

5. Definitions
“protected area” means a National Park, a sanctuary, a conservation reserve or a community
reserve.
“trophy” means the whole or any part of any captive animal or wild animal, other than vermin,
which has been kept or preserved by any means, whether artificial or natural.
“vehicle” means any conveyance used for movement on land, water or air and includes buffalo,
bull, bullock, camel, donkey, elephant, horse and mule.
“wild life” includes any animal, aquatic or land vegetation which forms part of any habitat.
“zoo” means an establishment, whether stationary or mobile, where captive animals are kept
for exhibition to the public of a licensed dealer in captive animals.
“taxidermy”, with its grammatical variations and cognate expressions, means the curing,
preparation or preservation or mounting of trophies.

6. AUTHORITIES APPOINTED UNDER THE ACT
The Central Government may appoint :
◦ A Director of Wild Life preservation.
◦ Assistant Directors of Wild Life preservation.
◦ Other officers and employees as may be necessary.
The State Government may appoint :
◦ A Chief Wild Life Warden.
◦ Wild Life Wardens.
◦ One Honorary Wild Life Warden in each district
◦ Other officers and employees as may be necessary.

7. WILD LIFE ADVISORY BOARD
The Act enforces and enables the State Governments and the administrators of
the union Territories to constitute a Wildlife Advisory Board in each state and
union territory.
The Board advises the State Government in the following matters:
a)Areas to be declared as sanctuaries, national parks or closed areas and their
administration.
b)Formulation of policy for protection and conservation of wildlife.
c)Amendment of any schedule..
d)Harmonizing the need of tribals and dwellers of forest.
e)Any other matter referred by the State Government.

8. HUNTING OF WILD ANIMALS
Hunting of animals specified in some cases is prohibited.
Hunting of wild animals is permitted in certain cases:
a) a) If the animal has become dangerous to human life or disabled beyond
recovery.
b) b) Killing or wounding in good faith in defence of oneself or any other person.
Any wild animal killed or wounded in defence of any person shall be Government
property.

9. HUNTING OF WILD ANIMALS
Grant of permit for special purposes:
a) a) Education.
b) b) Scientific research, Scientific management.
c) c) Collection of specimen for zoos, museums and similar institutions.
d) d) Derivation, collection or preparation of snake-venom for
manufacture of life-saving drugs.
Previous permission required of the Central Government for wild animals
specified in schedule I before grant of permit.
For any other wild animals, previous permission of State Government
required before grant of permit.

10. PROTECTION OF SPECIFIED PLANTS
No person shall:
a) a) willfully pick, uproot, damage, destroy, acquire, or collect any
specified plant from any forest land and any specified area by Central
Government.
b) b) possess, sell, offer for sale, or transfer by way to gift or otherwise,
or transport any specified plant whether alive or dead, or part or
derivative thereof.
Member of scheduled tribe residing in that district are
not prevented if it is for their personal use

11. PROTECTION OF SPECIFIED PLANTS
Grants of permit for special purposes:
a) Education.
b) Scientific research.
c) Collection, preservation and display in a herbarium of any scientific
institution.
Propagation by a person or institution approved by Central
Government.
Cultivation of specified plants without license is prohibited.

12. PROTECTION OF SPECIFIED PLANTS
Dealing in specified plants without license is prohibited.
The purchase of specified plants is permitted only from
licensed dealers.

13. SANCTUARIES, NATIONAL PARKS AND CLOSED AREAS
The State Government may, by notification , declare its
intention to constitute any area comprised within any reserve
forest or the territorial waters as a SANCTUARY if it considers
that such area is of adequate ecological, faunal, floral,
geomorphological, natural or zoological significance , for the
purpose of protecting, propagating or developing wild life or its
environment.

14. NATIONAL PARKS
Whenever it appears to the State Government that an area,
whether within a sanctuary or not, is, by reason of its
ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological or zoological
association or importance, needed to be constituted as
National Park for the purpose of protecting, propogating or
developing wild life therein or its environment , it may, by
notification, declare its intention to constitute such area as a
National Park.

15. CLOSED AREAS
The State Government may, by notification, declare any area
closed to hunting for such period as may be specified in the
notification.
No hunting of any wild animal shall be permitted in a closed
area during the period specified in the notification.

16. TRADE OR COMMERCE IN WILD ANIMALS, ANIMAL ARTICLE
AND TROPHIES
No person shall :
a) Commence or carry on the business as: Manufacturer, dealer,
taxidermist of scheduled animal or animal articles or trophies or
captive animals.
b) Dealer in meat derived from any schedule animal in eating house.

17. PENALTIES
Imprisonments varying from six months up to seven years and/or fine
ranging from rupees 500 up to not less than 10,000 depending on the
nature or seriousness of the offence committed regarding the specified
wildlife.
Forfeiture of Property Derived from Illegal Hunting and Trade or a fine
equal to the market value of such property in lieu or forfeiture.

18. Amendments
S.No. Title year
1 Wildlife Protection Amendment 1982 1982
2 Wildlife Protection Amendment 1986 1986
3 Wildlife Protection Amendment 1991 1991
4 Wildlife Protection Amendment 1993 1993
5 Wildlife Protection Amendment 2002 2002
6 Wildlife Protection Amendment 2006 2006
7 Wildlife Protection Amendment 2013 2013
8 Wildlife Protection Amendment 2021 2021

19. Salient features of amendments 2021
The Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021 was introduced in Lok Sabha by the Minister
of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on December 17, 2021.
 Key features of the Bill include:
1. CITES: CITES is an international agreement between governments to ensure that international trade in
specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species. Under CITES, plant
and animal specimens are classified into three categories (Appendices) based on the threat to their
extinction. The Convention requires countries to regulate the trade of all listed specimens through
permits. It also seeks to regulate the possession of live animal specimens.
2. Rationalising schedules: Currently, the Act has six schedules for specially protected plants (one),
specially protected animals (four), and vermin species (one). Vermin refers to small animals that carry
disease and destroy food.
3. Obligations under CITES: The Bill provides for the central government to designate a: (i) Management
Authority, which grants export or import permits for trade of specimens, and (iii) Scientific Authority,
which gives advice on aspects related to impact on the survival of the specimens being traded.

20. Salient features of amendments 2021
4. Invasive alien species: The Bills empowers the central government to regulate or
prohibit the import, trade, possession or proliferation of invasive alien species.
5. Control of sanctuaries: The Act entrusts the Chief Wild Life Warden to control,
manage and maintain all sanctuaries in a state. The Chief Wild Life Warden is
appointed by the state government. The Bill specifies that actions of the Chief
Warden must be in accordance with the management plans for the sanctuary.
6. Conservation reserves: Under the Act, state governments may declare areas adjacent
to national parks and sanctuaries as a conservation reserve, for protecting flora and
fauna, and their habitat. The Bill empowers the central government to also notify a
conservation reserve.
7. Surrender of captive animals: The Bill provides for any person to voluntarily
surrender any captive animals or animal products to the Chief Wild Life Warden. No
compensation will be paid to the person for surrendering such items. The
surrendered items become property of the state government.

21. References
https://legislative.gov.in/sites/default/files/A1972-53_0.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Life_(Protection)_Act,_1972
https://prsindia.org/billtrack/the-wild-life-protection-amendment-bill-2021
https://legalitysimplified.com/2021/11/02/coastal-regulation-zone-crz-amendment-notification/